very early waking

thank you both for responding! while I know it can't last forever sometimes you lose sight of that when you're exhausted and desperate. it's so helpful to hear positive stories from the other side.

we've actually seen slight improvement - for the last three days he's woken at 5.30!! still doesn't want a feed but it's 2 extra hours sleep thank the good lord. really hoping this is a continued positive trend...

DS did similar between four and five months-ish. Would wake up at 4.30/5am regardless of what time the last feed was and refuse to settle back. What I did was bring him in with us for a cuddle and a dozey feed so at least I was horizontal. Once I put him in his own room at about 5mo he stopped doing it, not sure why! I remember one morning waking up when DH's alarm went off and it was 6.30am!

My DS did something similar around the 4m mark. He would wake at 4am (almost to the minute every night) and be awake for anything up to about 2hrs, randomly making noises, moaning, crying out etc. I tried feeding too, and in my case he would actually take it but it made no difference to him going back to sleep. He would eventually fall back asleep for about an hour then was often up for the day by 6.30am. I had often not managed to get back to sleep at all from 4am and it was brutal, and I believe had a significant contribution to my diagnosis of PND at 5mths post delivery. Anyway I just wanted to reassure you that it was a phase which he snapped out of after about 4-6 weeks. It was a really tough time and I feel for you. If it helps, my DS is now 14 months and sleeps pretty much 7-7 every night and we are just in the process of tackling a slight night feed habit (not a massive issue as he takes the milk really quickly and I am back in bed in 10 mins tops) which I think we ourselves started during this "early morning party" phase as I insisted on pushing the milk every night to see if by a miracle it would help.

I could have written your post! My DD2 had been sleeping through and then suddenly started waking at 3.30 ish, i had been feeding er to re settle but stopped (as it didn't seem to be a hunger waking) and have now started again on the advise of the health visitor but to slowly decrease the amount that I give her. So far it hasn't helped me but I really hope it works for you if you are feeding at this time. I was lucky and didn't suffer with the infamous 4 month sleep regression with DD1 so was in denial with DD2 (who is 18 months so I feel your pain). I also find the daytime naps a problem. I'm sorry I don't have any really helpful advice I just hope it ends quickly!

my 4 m o (yes I am aware of the infamous regression) has started waking) for the day at about 3.30am. he then naps anywhere between 6 and 8 am for 30-90mins, approx 90-120mins after lunch, and perhaps a short catnap before 5p.m. by 7pm he's beyond it and passes out, then wakes for a feed at midnight.

naps are tricky as I have a 2yr old so he can't have any more daytime sleep. he often has less, in fact.

so what I want to know is, will this pass or do I need to do something to change it? I'm on my knees!